The present invention has developed from the investigation of new polymeric compositions from tetrachloroterephthalic acid which is now a readily available commercial product. It was deemed desirable to endeavor to introduce the flame retardant properties of tetrachloroterephthalic acid into polymerizable compositions which could then be cured to high molecular weight, three-dimensional resinous structures that are substantially infusible and insoluble.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide novel curable compositions based on tetrachloroterephthalic acid. It is another object of this invention to provide hydroxyethyl esters of tetrachloroterephthalic acid. It is another object of this invention to provide polymerizable unsaturated esters of tetrachloroterephthalic acid. It is still another object of this invention to provide methods for curing unsaturated esters of tetrachloroterephthalic acid. It is a further object of this invention to provide flame retardant thermoset resins useful as coatings, films and molded articles.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and examples.